Structural device



March 7, 1933. A. VERMEULEN 1,900,319

STRUCTURAL DEVICE Filed March 13, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 V W R fl Y w llllll 6 0 6 v Q l j M IIII J I 11 l m m r i r! V Fl 11111 I} 5 1 qfilll r B 4\ xllllum 6 3 Sheets-Sheet I 2 L tngri A TTOR/VEY 11v VENTOR, 7e Warmeukr;

March 7, 1933. A. VERMEULEN STRUCTURAL DEVICE Filed March 13, 1951 A. VERMEULEN STRUCTURAL DEVICE March 7, 1933.

Filed March 13, 1931 wwwzig" 1 if jg 1 g, j 43 E it I a ml l 1 41 i l I l 1 axwxfiam INVENTORI 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 flare/e VfT/776U/6/7;

A TTOR/VE Y Patented Mar. 7, 1933 a UNITED'YSTIATES PATENT orr cgf 1 AURE E VERMEULEN, or LOS ANGELES,0ALIFORNIA STB-UGTU DEVICE 7 Application filed March:13, 1931. Serial No. 522,280.

l'his invention relates to structural de-- vices, and particularly to devices which'mayr constitute'built-up units for the purpose of constructing platforms, "bridges, ferries, ships, piers, pontoons, floats, buoys, and

other floating constructions as well asfor foundations, walls, piers, columns, bulkheads, and the like. i The invention has vision of a novel and economic system and means of construction whereby units may be. additively joined together to produce a Another ob ect s the provision of building construction means which is'adaptab le for many uses and purposes and may, in

certain embodiments, act in conjunction with other building construction units for;

strengthening the same.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds, among which is the provision of units for building construction which are simple as to structural detail, economical in use "and I 3 service, may be easily interlocked for joint I operation, and which may be embodied in many forms within the scope of the 'inventionl v the invention consists in the novelfand useful provision, formation, construction, as

sociation and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as shown in certainembodiments in the-accompany-,.

ing drawings, 1 described generally, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a float- I ing platform embodyingone formof! the invention, Figure 2 is a fragmentary'plan view of the floating platform shown Figure 1" and showing certain features of its con- I II i of '-the'invention, I may utilize the invention 100 Q struction,

, I '66 of Figure 2, for an object the proand in accordance with the requirementsof I 1 of afloatin type of I embody 'the inven'tion,

' of a further form of the invention,

With the above and other objects in view,

Figure 3 is a seotionalfview bathe line. 3 -3 of F igure 2, I I

Figure 4 s a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is asectional view on the line 5 '5 of Figure 2, Q Figure. 6 is a sectional view on the'l'ine Figure '7 is a perspective view gof a float a embodying further details of theinvention, Figure -8 is a plan view ofthe float of V Figure 9 is a side'elevation' of the'float shown in Figure 8, Figure 10 is a plan view ofa further detail of the invention which may be utilized as afioat, Figure 11 is a sectional view on'the line 1111 of Figure 10, i a

' Figure I '12 is a fragmentary perspective view ofa locking member for that form ofv the invention shown in Figure 10, I

Figure 13 is a, fragmentary side elevation platform which may}.

Figure 145 is, a fragmentary plan view of I I the floating platform shown in Figure 13,. 1 Figure 15 is a, transverse sectional view Figure 16 is a sectional view on 1616of"Figure 15, and, I

Figure 17 is a fragmentary transversesectionall view showing certain. details of the the line 30 z interlock of that form of the invention shown in Figures 15 and 16..

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated byfthe same reference characters. Referring now with particularity to the drawings and for'convenience, I shall designate certain forms of myin'vention by capital'lettjers, to -witz thatform shown in Figures .1 to 6 by A; the form shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 by B; Figures'lO and 11 by 0; Figures'13 and 14: by D; and 15,16 and 17 by Eyandsuch forms will betaken up in alphabetical order. I a o I For convenience of illustration, the form of the invention A has beenshown as a float 1 I ing platform, although within the purview for various further purposes. Thus, in the present instance, the invention A may form a float situated in the ocean and which float is free to rise and fall and may be utilized for various purposes, such as a landing plat-- form for airplanes, and other air vehicles, lighthouses, buildings, etc. It is not to be considered that the form of the invention,

chamber 1. This chamber may extend long- I itudinally of the units a, as indicated bythe dotted lines in F igure. 2 at 2. In theembodiment of the invention shown, this chamber is practically an enclosed one, How- ;ever, a metalpiece3 may be placed within an opening transversely extending between an outer surface of sa1d mm and the chamber 1 and which member 3 is screw-threaded at 4 for reception of a plug nut 5. Thus, by removing the plug nut, entrance may be had within the chamber. termed thetop surface of a unit a, to -wit, the surface ,6, is provided with one or more spaced apart dove-tailed type transverse grooves 7 also one of the side walls 8 is provided with one or more transversely extending dove-tailed tongues 9. The opposite'surface 10 is formed with one orpinore transversely extending dove-tailed slots 11. Certain ofthe units a may be provided with one or'mo-re transverse bores 12. The arrangement of the various units is now apparent. The several units may be intercon nectedby the tongues 9 of one unit being re- ,ceived within the slots 10 of its contiguous unit a, and so on. Afterthis assemblage,a

reenforced locking member 13,1nay be re ceived within the dove-tailed grooves 7 of all said units. This construction 'will aid in maintaining the surface of said units in alignment. This reenforced locking member may be conveniently formed by making it of the same material as the units a, such as concrete, within which appears. metalwire reenforcementssuchas shown at 14 in Figure 3. Hence, the member 13 may be either constructed prior to joining the units, or the construction may be a poured one bylaying the metal wire reenforcements within the dove-tailed slots '7 and bridging said slots ineach contiguous unit,'of course, properly spacing said reenforcements, followed by pouring of concrete or other plastic substance within said dove-tailed slots so as to .embed the reenforcements. 7 This, of course,

What may be.

will provide for a connected surface align= ing structure comprising a plurality of interconnected units.

For shore anchorage purposes, I may provide tubes, poles or posts 15 which are adapted to be passed through the transverse openings 12. A plurality of these posts are provided, as shown in Figure 1, and aid in maintaining the platform in a given posltion. The platform may rise and fall with the ebb and flow of the tide.

It will be realized that where the units are utilized as a float that the chamber 1 is not filled but is sealed against entrance of water therein. If, however, the units are to be utilized for ballast purposes, the chambers may be filled with fluid, such as water or sand, as shown at 16, by removing the cap nut 5. I

In the form of the invention just de scribed, it is also to be noted that the tongue 9 of each unit as well as the groove 11 are tapered in form from the top surface of each unit to the bottom thereof, as best shown in Figure 6 at 17 This construction aids in the interlock that exists between con tiguous units and practically assures that said unitsdo not become separated but are maintained in horizontal allgnment when the locking member 13 is in position and joining said units.

The invention A may be submerged by filling the chambers, and to this end the chambers would act as ballast chambers.

Referring to the form of the invention B, it will be seen that this'form does not difier in essential details from the form. A or for that matter from the remaining forms of the invention. As before,'the invention B is made up of one or more units Z) which are adapted to be interconnected and so held.

Each unit ,6 having four side portions is. adapted to have one or more of said sldeportions providedwith tapered dove-tailed slots 18 as, for instance, the sides 19 and 20,

while the sides 21 and 22 may be provided with outstanding tapered transversely ex tending tongues 23. Obviously, if the sev-- 'eral units 6 are identically constructed, the

tongues of one unit will fit within the dovetailed slots of a contiguous unit, asishown in the figures. Each unit I) is provided with an internal chamber 24, access to'which may be had through the plug 25. The slots 18' as well as the tongues may likewise be tapered as to transverse width. This construction 1S lndlcated'at 26 1n Figure 9.

Thls invention B may have its units j joined and may act as a float if the chambers are air filled and held to a pier or the like, through the medium ofchains 27 or thelike.

The float is of course more endurin than the ordinary wood type of float, due to its.

construction, which is preferably formed of concrete. Obviously the molding or form.

ing of'the units either a or b is no factor, as they may be formed in many ways, such as by molding or the like. For instance, an outer mold and an inner mold are provided, with the concrete poured therebetween so as to have a base and side walls, whereupon a thin piece of material may be placed across the side walls sufiicient to cover or close one end of the chamber, whereupon concrete may be poured upon this member to form the other end and the concrete allowed to harden in themold. This is one method that may be utilized.

The form of the invention C utilizes constructional units 0, 0?, c and f. The units '0 are six-sided although it is evident that the number of sides does not make any diflerence. The units 0 are four-sided or onehalf the size of a unit a. are triangular in form. All of the said units are so c'ast'as to provide an internal elongated chamber 28 and, furthermore, said units are formed with elongated dove-tailed grooves 29, substantially one groove for each side. As before, access to the chamber 28 may be had through a plug 30. In addition, the dove-tailed groove 29 progressively varies in transverse width on the top surface of each unit to the base thereof. After a given number of irregular units are joined together in any configuration desired and so as to provide a side wall of defined form, for instance, the form shown in Figure 10, said units may be interlocked through the medium of the key shown in Figure 12. It will be seen that this key is transversely tapered and that opposite sides 31 and 82 are given a V-shaped groove. If this tapered key. was split centrally of the V-shaped groove, then ,a dove-tailed key would result. Thus, this key construction acts to bridge between two slots inthe units and hold'said units in cooperative relation, as shown in a Figure 10.

Certain of the units may be providedwith outstanding eyes 38, whereby a rope or the like 34 may encircle the several units d, e and f and maintained in encircling position 7 by being passed through said eyes 33, It

will be seen also in Figure 10 that one of the units 0 is provided with an integrally formed key 35. This is shown by way of illustration. Thus, the forms (Z, 6 and 7 may be provided with integrally formed keys in place of providing the keyshown in Figure 12.

The form of the invention D may utilize units of the type shownin Figures 1 to 6, that is to say, said units here designated as 9 may or'may'not be provided with a surface groove of the form 7 but said units are provided with dove-tailedtype tongues and slots 36 and 37 ,respectively whereby contiguous units maybe interlocked. Thus, several The units d and f 7 units may be arranged in. pyramidform, as I shownin Figure 1.3,andwhen soarranged may support a platform, such as illustrated at 38; All units 9 are provided with-a 41 ,'and the unitg at each one of the corners is curved or cut away, ems-shown at 42., Vllhe'n it is desired to join contiguous units, the loops 41 of each'contiguous unit are so arranged that they overlie as best, shown in Figure 16 at 43, and in which figure several of said loops are utilized. The arrangement is such, when several units are joined, that a way 44 is provided. If there are four units, the way 44 is substantially circular,

and if two units, semi-circular. Within this way and through the eyes of said loops may 1 be passed a rod, or concrete may be poured within said way and through the loops of the wires which will lock the wires together and likewise the contiguous units.

It will be seen that I have provided structural units which are adaptable for many purposes, and may form the foundation for other units of building construction. This invention may be utilized with its units either submerged or exposed to provide foundations, walls, bulkheads, and the like, as was pointed out in the objects of the invention. The invention consists, in its broadest aspect, of a unit having a chamber with means for interlocking the unit and means for access to the chamber, whereby the chamber maybe filled with a ballasting material, if desired. This means for interlocking the various unitsmay constitute a separate key or a key integrally formed on the unit for reception in a corresponding locking portion of an adjacent unit. Furthermore, the method of aligning the various ,loop members may be interlocked in said grooves, the blocks being held in close abutting relationship, and means adapted to be no I passed: through said 100p members and within said grooves for interlocking the blocks.

' 1 2. In a device of the character disclosed, block formed with a central chamber portion, corner portions of said block being grooved, and a Wire encircling saidblock and embedded therein, said Wire being provided with loop portions extending outwardly from the periphery of said block at adjacent grooved corner portions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at Los Angeles, California, this 12th day of February, 1931.

AURELE VERMEULEN. 

